This invention relates to the mounting of machinery within the hull of a vessel which can be a surface vessel or a submersible vessel such as a submarine.
Our UK Patent 2221743 teaches that machinery may be supported, either directly or via a raft, from an array of supports which are adjustable and are controlled by a control means, in dependence upon flexing or resonance of the raft or upon flexing of the machinery, such as to suppress that flexing. This patent also teaches that the machinery is mounted in a surface marine vessel and that the supports can be hydraulic or other mechanisms, although electromagnets are preferred. The currents through the various electromagnets are controlled by an electronic control system in such a way as to ensure that the raft does not flex or vibrate and that the integral force transmitted to the hull of the vessel has a substantially zero component for vibrations associated with any flexing and resonance of the machinery itself. Although specifically describing the use of electromagnets to repel permanent magnets, this patent also envisages that pairs of electromagnets may be used to attract metallic members connected to either the raft or the hull in order to keep the raft levitated.